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Festhaus Question


italianchef
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Today I noticed that the TV screens are gone from Festhaus - and instead we see a gorgeous mural of the mountains. Also, I saw a stained glass window that I never saw before.

Does anyone know when and why these changes were made? I like them.

Have a great day!

Italian Chef

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Those changes were made prior to Winterfest last year. They kept the nice decor held over from Winterfest, but geeze, would it hurt to have some music (albeit recorded) playing?

Now if they'd bring in live entertainment, like they had at Winterfest and previous seasons at the park.

Somebody beat me!

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Today I noticed that the TV screens are gone from Festhaus - and instead we see a gorgeous mural of the mountains. Also, I saw a stained glass window that I never saw before.

Does anyone know when and why these changes were made? I like them.

Have a great day!

Italian Chef

chef.gif

YES!!! YES YES YES YESSSSSSSS That is a sign! Man oh man, I just know they will put the shows back in there!

I'm standing beside myself right now!

-adam12

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When I was a kid and went to Festhaus there were all types of shows and the streamers and just everything made it worthwhile to go. In 2004 and most of 2005, however, they decided to take all that themeing down. It took away from the point of Festhaus and it really didn't make it any different than any other restaurant that we had at the time. Winterfest was a chance for them to get back in the program and they did a very good job at making it be a place where you wanted to spend you time(and money). A show in there would be a great thing since it would bring people in and raise Festhaus' revenue considerably. The QTV's being gone also helped with the decor of Festhaus cause they were just tacky. There is some music being played there, but it is very, VERY low and if you hear it, depends on if they decided to turn it on that day. Overall, they have done a great job and I hope to see this change stay and maybe get better over time. Also, air-conditioning would be a plus... there is air-conditioning, "in-theory", but making it work would be a good thing.

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I hate going in the Festhaus anymore--it's so depressingly dark and quiet. And is any one else turned off (to the point of mild nausea) by that cheese smell? I mean, LaRosa's pizza is okay, but I think I preferred the sauerkraut smell.

Also, the clock out front is an hour behind and that really bothers me.

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A Festhaus show would not necessarily need to include live actors. It could be puppets, or animatronics, or a combination.

I too remember the good old days when the park first opened and there were shows, I believe for a year or 2 there was an ice skating show in there.

King's Island is a great place, but it could be so much better with some improvements on the FestHaus.

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The mural and window are original to the Festhaus.

They were just covered over by facades and screens for many years. But I agree, the Festhaus is much better looking when adhering to it's original look.

Shaggy

I would love nothing more than to be put in charge of Kings Island and walk through the park and point and shout orders. There are little things all over the park that need to be done that would make a big impression on the guests and wouldn't cost much money at all. When I walked into the park the first time this year, (I think it was the end of May) the place seemed to be stripped and lost it's character. I can't wait to see what CF will do in the next 5 years!

-adam12

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At 34-years old and the father of a 2-year old, I am HAPPY that there is no longer loud music at the Festhaus. After hearing my son scream and blasting music in other parts of the park - it's nice to sit, dine, and sip in a more quiet, laid back atmosphere.

Have a great day!

Italian Chef

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I am all for KI keeping its original stuff, and appreciate that Festhaus is a link to the park's past. However, I think that place has no business being in the park. I know at one time it fit right in, and probably was a neat place (When I was there in the '70's, I was too small to remember). It is just a big, dark, depressing place. I think if you themed it to some kind of movie studio, or flight hangar to make it fit in with AZ, that would be neat. Not just some posters hung up, a complete overhaul. The park can definitely use a large indoor area, but, man, I wouldn't want to go in that place if it was sitting anywhere, let alone in an amusement park.

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I am all for KI keeping its original stuff, and appreciate that Festhaus is a link to the park's past. However, I think that place has no business being in the park. I know at one time it fit right in, and probably was a neat place (When I was there in the '70's, I was too small to remember). It is just a big, dark, depressing place. I think if you themed it to some kind of movie studio, or flight hangar to make it fit in with AZ, that would be neat. Not just some posters hung up, a complete overhaul. The park can definitely use a large indoor area, but, man, I wouldn't want to go in that place if it was sitting anywhere, let alone in an amusement park.

As Festhaus was not there in the 70's you probably don't remember it from then.

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The Festhaus is in the Oktoberfest area of the park (no matter how small it is now), an area of the park that is themed to Germany. So therefore it does fit in. Although, I think it would be cool to see more German food in there to give it more of the German Bierhaus type of feel that it should have. Anf if they played some music lightly to add to the mood that would also be nice.

I hate going in the Festhaus anymore--it's so depressingly dark and quiet. And is any one else turned off (to the point of mild nausea) by that cheese smell? I mean, LaRosa's pizza is okay, but I think I preferred the sauerkraut smell.

I think the Festhaus is a nice place to relax in the airconditioning, and although I dont think LaRosa's Pizza really fits in with the German theme, I think it smells good.

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The Festhaus is in the Oktoberfest area of the park (no matter how small it is now), an area of the park that is themed to Germany. So therefore it does fit in. Although, I think it would be cool to see more German food in there to give it more of the German Bierhaus type of feel that it should have. Anf if they played some music lightly to add to the mood that would also be nice.

I hate going in the Festhaus anymore--it's so depressingly dark and quiet. And is any one else turned off (to the point of mild nausea) by that cheese smell? I mean, LaRosa's pizza is okay, but I think I preferred the sauerkraut smell.

I think the Festhaus is a nice place to relax in the airconditioning, and although I dont think LaRosa's Pizza really fits in with the German theme, I think it smells good.

Well, as the idea behind Festhaus was to take off of the Festhaus at the Busch Parks; I'm not sure how it has become what it has become.

The major concept behind the construction and implementation was to create a location that provided entertainment and where you could obtain many of the foods that were available throughout the park. The concept of the "every food" seemed to pass pretty quickly as the location was far more successful than anyone in resale really imagined. That is when the menue was more standardized with lazagne and the such, shnitzel, etc .

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Well, as the idea behind Festhaus was to take off of the Festhaus at the Busch Parks; I'm not sure how it has become what it has become.

I noticed that when I was a BGT the last time (a few months ago) their Festhaus has been rethemed as the "Desert Grill." This makes sense because their German-themed Festhaus always seemed really out of place in the middle of Africa! smile.gif

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Well, from what I heard they had hoped to have a show in the Festhaus this year.  But things didn`t work out how they wanted and with the cuts that were implemented...

Paramount screwed us to the end!

Paramount Screwed us and didn't use lube! <G>

This kinda goes with my topic from some time ago....

Kings Island vs. Paramounts Kings Island. Did P.K.I. ruin the values of K. I. doesn't it????? cool.gif

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Unless they overhaul Octoberfest and International Street altogehter, adding more Bavarian theming is a waste of energy.

It used to make sense. The whole reason for the Festhaus being added was the need for a large indoor eating hall. Octoberfest (which played off of Cincy German roots) was the perfect place for the hall. KI went on the cheap in building it... it's essentially a large corrogated metal warehouse on a concrete slab... and was hurried to be readied for the first Winterfest.

However, with the dissapearance of virtually all Octoberfest theming (completely lost on today's guest) not to mention all of the International theming on International Street, it doesn't make a lot of sense.

Heck, even "Viking Fury" doesn't make sense being located in Octoberfest. Am I crazy or were Vikings Norwegian and not German?

Here's a fun little but of trivia about the Festhaus. The front entrance/clock is a wooden facade on the front of the metal building. There's about a 6 foot gap in-between the two. You access the clock mechanics and in-between storage areas by going up a hidden staircase to the right as you enter the Festhaus. Once up there, you can look down below and still see tons of empty vintage pop and beer cans thrown to the floor by workers when constructing it.

Shaggy

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I am all for KI keeping its original stuff, and appreciate that Festhaus is a link to the park's past.  However, I think that place has no business being in the park.  I know at one time it fit right in, and probably was a neat place (When I was there in the '70's, I was too small to remember).  It is just a big, dark, depressing place.  I think if you themed it to some kind of movie studio, or flight hangar to make it fit in with AZ, that would be neat.  Not just some posters hung up, a complete overhaul.  The park can definitely use a large indoor area, but, man, I wouldn't want to go in that place if it was sitting anywhere, let alone in an amusement park.

As Festhaus was not there in the 70's you probably don't remember it from then.

I went to KI when I was 3 in about '75. I didn't go to the park again until '92, so there's a lot of "empty space" there...lol

I agree that the theming makes no sense now. Honestly, I wish it did. I'd like to see KI like it was when it opened, and have all the entertainment and stuff. But, now, since KI is more of a theme park, Festhaus does need a change.

Since the front of it is just a facade, it doesn't seem like it would be that hard to retheme. The park definitely does need a place like Festhaus, just the theme needs to go.

I also agree about the smell. Very nauseating.

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